Sir, – Clare Daly's assertions regarding abortion as an election issue are based on wishful thinking rather than political reality ("Abortion rights an election issue, says Clare Daly", September 12th).
The fact remains that Irish people are deeply uncomfortable with abortion, because they are aware that it ends the life of a baby before birth, and they know that we can do better than abortion for women when a crisis pregnancy arises. Most people of goodwill welcome the dramatic fall in the number of Irish women travelling abroad for abortion.
The truth is that, outside of a non-stop media push, there is no public outcry to repeal the Eight Amendment nor to further liberalise our abortion laws. Pro-abortion rallies are dwarfed by the huge numbers – between 25,000 and 30,000 this year – attending the Rally for Life. Opinion polls show no support for abortion on demand; in fact, the proportion of Irish people supporting abortion as a matter of “choice” has barely increased in decades.
However, Ms Daly’s assertion that abortion will be an election issue is correct, since thousands of pro-life volunteers will be reminding voters in every constituency of the need to protect both mother and baby and to identify pro-life candidates.
Finally, Ms Daly claims that the pro-life movement is “highly military”, which is a rather bizarre statement, unless she meant to say “highly militant”, in which case it becomes a deeply ironic one. The stark contrast between the colourful celebration of life at the pro-life rally in July and the angry and threatening nature of pro-abortion counter-protestors highlights exactly where the aggression and extremism lie in this debate. – Yours, etc,
MARIA
MHIC MHEANMAIN,
Enfield, Co Meath.
Sir, – Una Mullally ("There is a good reason women are reluctant to speak about their abortions", Opinion & Analysis, September 14th) writes, "We need to have a caring conversation, not more horrible arguments."
A caring conversation should include the unborn baby, who gets no mention in Una’s article.
The horror is not in the arguments of the pro-life side, it is in the procedure which destroys the life of the most innocent, vulnerable and defenceless of persons.
Una’s plea for no more horrible arguments discloses the fact that she is trying to evade the reality of what she is proposing. – Yours, etc,
COLM FITZPATRICK,
Castleknock,
Dublin 15.
Sir, – I write to thank Róisín Ingle and Tara Flynn on their brave and excellent articles. Fintan O'Toole's "Shining light on abortion – one of Ireland's 'unknown knowns'" (Opinion & Analysis, September 15th), which should be compulsory reading for all, notes our "unknown knowns, things we know damn well but somehow manage not to know at all". – Yours etc,
WJ MURPHY
Malahide,
Co Dublin.
A chara, – Róisín Ingle had four pages to expound her views on abortion in The Irish Times on Saturday ("Why I need to tell my abortion story", September 12th). Una Mullally had her say (again) at the top of page 14 opposite your leader page on Monday, and your columnist Tara Flynn had the platform of page 11 to expound similar views on the same day under the heading "We don't talk about abortion in Ireland – and yet I have to".
For 55 years I have purchased your newspaper as the last national daily offering balance. Where do you recommend I look in future? – Yours, etc,
JOHN F CRONIN,
Terenure,
Dublin 6W.